#TravelTuesday: 5 Things for Nature Lovers to Do in Madrid

If you’ve ever asked madrileños why they love living in Madrid, you’ve probably gotten a lot of different answers. Food may have featured prominently in the explanation—while I was living there more than one Spaniard pointed out to me that their food was the best in the world. It’s true that jamón ibérico is delicious, and the giant calamari bocadillo is quite unique. Perhaps they’ve mentioned the community and lifestyle—summers spent sippingtinto de verano on terrazas, the Sunday flea market El Rastro, and exhibits at the slaughterhouse-turned-arts center Matadero Madrid.

Something you’ve almost certainly heard was that Madrid has the best of two worlds as far as nature goes, with snowy mountains and sunny beaches both on offer if you’re willing to do a bit of driving. But even if you don’t want to get too far out of town, you’ve got options. Here are five things for nature lovers to do in Madrid.